Opportunity to tailor your own degree
Choose one, two or three languages in various weightings with an opportunity to start a second or third language from scratch. You will visit the target culture of each language you study in your Year Abroad, but the amount of time you spend in each place studying, working or teaching is up to you. You can combine your language study with one third (minor) or half (joint honours) of your degree in another subject. In addition, you may choose from a wide range of cross-departmental modules in your second year. These modules offer a unique opportunity to comparatively explore subjects across languages, such as discussing large cultural issues such as migration, language-teaching, linguistics and global cinema.
Competitive contact hours
We pride ourselves on competitive contact hours of 6 hours per week for advanced language study and 8 hours per week for beginner language study in each of your core target-language modules in the first half of your degree at Birmingham. More contact hours does not mean increased workload, however - just a different way of working. The intensive teaching we offer within these contact hours usually takes place within small groups, encouraging active language-learning through engagement with cultural material in the target language (beginners will receive more support in English, as appropriate).
Enhanced employability prospects
From day one, Birmingham has your employability in mind. We offer minors in Translation Studies or Business Management, and optional vocational modules in areas such as translation, language teaching, legal cultures, business and enterprise, in order to prepare you for the role of languages in the globalised workplace. As well as traditional assessment methods, you may also be asked to submit digital projects such as blog work, an interactive timeline or a digital comic strip. Furthermore, our ‘Modern Languages Professionals Week’ in the first year features workshops and talks from former students who are using their languages in sectors such as business, the arts, translation, interpreting, and education.